Zero
by Chibi Okami
Summary: Inu-Yasha dreams about his past and he goes through a forest where an old friend lived, but would she still be there after fifty years? (sorry, I'm bad at summeries.) Part One Finished!
1. Memories

Liger003 ~ Okay, this is my first Inu-Yasha fic. So bear with me. And r/r please! Okay, I read the comic, and watch the dubbed anime version on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, and if all you watch is the dubbed anime version, you are missing out, the comic is a lot better in my opinion, but I have read up to vol. 12 and so far he has no past, so I really wanted to give him one. So if his past comes up in the later anime or comic, sorry! But him not having a past was getting on my nerves!  
  
Disclaimer ~ I don't own Inu-Yasha and co. please don't sue me!  
  
Zero Chapter One ~ Memories  
  
Inu-Yasha walked through the forest, his mother had always told him to stay away from it, but she was gone now. She had died. Her and Papa too. They left him. He was alone. How could they have abandoned him like that? Deep down he knew that they didn't leave him on purpose, they didn't have the choice to live or die. But still, they weren't there.  
  
He didn't need anybody. He didn't. He could live on his own. No rules, no bedtimes. He was free. He should have been happy. But then, Inu- Yasha's mind went back to his parents, why did he feel like crying? He was a demon. He shouldn't cry. He should stand tall and be proud to be of who he is and how he lives. Even if he didn't have anyone to tuck him in at night, or read him a bedtime story.  
  
Inu-Yasha walked through the forest, trying to look tough, he needed to intimidate everyone he could. He did not want to be messed with, and if anybody did mess with him, he would show them. The half-demon smiled just a little, thinking of what he would do to anyone who thought that he was weak. He started swinging his fists at an imaginary opponent, until he had it right. Yep, that was what he would do to anyone who got to close.  
  
Inu-Yasha stood tall, but then shrunk back down. He needed to look big, frighten the enemy, but that was hard for a kid of age five to do.  
  
He looked around him. There were a lot of trees with green leaves and a small stream to his right. There was a hole to his left that obviously a rabbit or something lived in. All of his doggie blood wanted to go up to it and bark at the rabbits, but he couldn't do that, he would look weird, and there was no way he would look tough barking into a rabbit hole!  
  
Wait, did he hear something? There was a rustle of leaves above him, no now it was to his right, left, no. . . . now there nothing. His ears had failed him now, now his nose came into action. Suddenly a different smell filled his nose. A smell he knew and despised. Cat.  
  
"Come on out, cat." Inu-Yasha said bravely. "I know you are there."  
  
"As you wish, I would have to fight you anyway, YOU'RE IN MY TERRITORY!" A voice hissed, but he could not pin-point it. "Meeeeyyyyooowwww!"  
  
Above! Inu-Yasha instinctively covered his face. He looked up and on his arms was a furry claw. The claw tightened around his arm, drawing blood. He pushed the opponent as far away from him as he could. The demon did a back flip in mid air and landed on her feet.  
  
"Cool, how'd you do that?" Inu-Yasha asked without thinking.  
  
"Don't you know that a cat always lands on her feet?" Now instead of standing straight up, she was crouched, as if to attack at anytime. He too took a fighting stance, and they stared each other down.  
  
For the first time, he got a good look at his opponent. She had a human form with some likenesses of a cat. She had long pointy cat ears at the top her head, they were easily three times the size of Inu-Yasha's. She had snow-white fur streaked with black stripes, and a tail. Her nose, hands and feet were too was that of a cat's. She wore a black leotard with a thick belt around her waist. Her open sandles were plain that showed her clawed paws. She had pure white hair with black hairs streaked through it. He noticed that she was almost the same age as he was, maybe five or six.  
  
She cut off the staring contest and ran forward at him, claws outstretched. Inu-Yasha was surprised, and barely managed to dodge her claws. Inu-Yasha threw a punch as he dodged, getting her in the stomach. She fell to the ground, limp. He walked up to her, was he okay? Did he knock her out or something?  
  
When he got closer, she struck out. She grabbed his foot and pulled him to the ground. He hit the ground with a thud, and the demoness looked over at her prey, he was in the same helpless spot she was, facing the enemy on the ground. She laughed at the look on his face. When he looked over to her, even more confused, she laughed harder, rolled on the ground and couldn't stop.  
  
"Wh-what's so funny?"  
  
"You!" She answered still tickled with laughter.  
  
"M-me? Why?"  
  
"Just your face." She stood up and held out her paw. "My name's Zero, yours?"  
  
Inu-Yasha unsurely grabbed the paw, "I'm . . . Inu-Yasha."  
  
"Truce."  
  
"Truce"  
  
Just then Inu-Yasha's stomach growled, and he blushed, he hadn't eaten all day.  
  
"The best fishing spot is down that way if you're hungry." Zero pointed over her shoulder.  
  
Inu-Yasha made a face, "I hate fish."  
  
That was 60 years ago.  
  
Inu-Yasha woke up suddenly. He sat straight up in his tree and looked around. He was in a tree as usual, the moon was full and the light shined eerily over the forest that loomed in the distance. The river to his right seemed to glow with little dots of moonlight dancing on the calm water.  
  
Kagome was asleep by the dying fire. Shippo was right next to her, snoring just a little. Sango was on the opposite side of the fire and had her weapon, the boomerang bone, close at hand, he really couldn't blame her, that perverted monk was so close to her. . . wait. Didn't Miroku fall asleep on the other side of the fire? How'd he get so close. . . Oh, well. It wasn't his problem.  
  
Inu-Yasha noticed a tiny little thing hopping up to him. Myoga, the wise, but cowardly flea hopped to his shoulder.  
  
"What's wrong Inu-Yasha?" Myoga asked.  
  
"Nothing, really. Just memories."  
  
"Memories huh?" Myoga asked. "Something troubling you about your past?"  
  
"It's nothing. I'm going back to sleep." He layed back down, shut his eyes and everything came flooding back to him.  
  
That's right. Me and Zero, we became best friends, and she taught me everything.  
  
Inu-Yasha grabbed at the fish in the water. The fish though, was to slippery, and he couldn't keep a good grip on it. It slipped out of his hands and started heading back toward the water. He dove for it but missed. He realized too late that he lost his balance and fell face first in the water.  
  
His head popped out of the water and he heard a laughing from shore. He looked over his shoulder and it was what the half-demon feared most, the cat demon at shore was laughing at him! Why that cat! She had some nerve! He instinctively cracked his claws.  
  
She had caught her fish on her first swipe into the water and he had been at it for almost an hour! She sat on dry land eating her fill of fish over a hot fire as he waded knee deep in the water starving, while she shoved it in his face.  
  
"Concentrate! Just wait until the right moment and grab it, and grab it hard! Don't let it slip right through you fingers!"  
  
Easier said than done! The dog demon thought. These things are so slippery! And I don't even like fish! But there's nothing else to eat, so it's better than starving. He looked at the cat demoness on shore, eating. I guess. . .  
  
Inu-Yasha stood up. He looked into the water. He just had to wait for the exact moment, no rushing. . . he just had to wait til his prey was in his trap.  
  
He stared intently into the water. He could see the bottom, the stream was crystal clear. He felt the sand under his feet, he squished it in between his toes. He loved the goey feeling given off by it.  
  
A fish was slowly making it's way towards him. Every part of his body wanted to pounce on the fish, but he stopped himself, he didn't want to lose another one. The fish was almost at his leg, he would swipe it out of the water any second now, he just had to wait a second. . . almost there, . . .not quite almost. . . NOW!  
  
His hand collided with the water causing a giant splash. His hand touched the slippery dinner-to-be and he clasped his claws around it. He pulled it out of the water, it felt like it was going to slip! He dug his claws into it, it was not going to get away from him! He was hungry! The fish put up quite a battle, but his fight ended there! The fish slowly stoped moving much and Inu-Yasha looked down on it, he almost felt sorry for it. . .almost, but not quite! He was going to have his dinner! He held it up in the air for Zero to see.  
  
"I caught it!"  
  
Author's note  
  
Why 60 years ago? Because if Inu-Yasha was fifteen (I don't know if he was fifteen, I am just guessing.) and then he was 'killed' for fifty years, and five 'now' that's sixty years. 


	2. Steal Tiger Claws

Lier003 ~ Hey! I wanted to say thanks to Lost Star! You're my first review! Thank You! Disclaimer ~ I do not own any of the Inu-Yasha characters.  
  
Zero Chapter two ~ Steal Tiger Claws  
  
Inu-Yasha sat by the fire that he and Zero had made. He was enjoying the taste of his catch. Even though it was fish, he was enjoying it. He was so hungry and he didn't care if it tasted good or not, he caught it and that was all that mattered to him. Zero sat on the other side of the fire staring into it as if it had a story to tell. Inu-Yasha just ignored her, he was hungry and all that mattered to him was that he was eating.  
  
"So, what's your story?" She asked, not taking her eyes off of the fire.  
  
"What do you mean 'my story'"  
  
"I mean what happened to you? Where are your parents?" She noticed a sad look an his face when she asked him this.  
  
"They. . .they're . . . dead. . ." Inu-Yasha looked away. Tears were threatening to form in his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away. There was no way he was going to cry in front of Zero.  
  
"I'm sorry, but at least you know who you parents were. I don't even know who my parents are or were. I was found outside a village. They took me in until I was three. They all said that I was a worthless demon. A total zero. That's how I got my name. When I was three, a demon attacked the village, and I fought for it. Even though they all thought that I was worthless, I protected them. They were my family. And then when the fight was over, the whole village had been burnt to the ground, and I could do nothing about it. I was just too weak. And all of the villagers were dead. The only family I ever had, gone." She grabbed her knees, and a shiver ran down her spine, it scared her, just remembering it all happen. "I dunno why I told you that, maybe I just needed to tell someone."  
  
"I'm sorry." Inu-Yasha didn't know what else to say, "Soooo, it seems like we are two of the same. Maybe we should stick together."  
  
"R-really? You think that we should be friends?"  
  
"Sure. Why not?" He wondered, "At least this way we won't be lonely."  
  
The next thing he knew, Zero was giving him a hug. She quickly let go and went back to her side though. When he looked at her in the golden light of the fire, he could tell that she was bright red, and he couldn't help but smile, Zero was one weird demon.  
  
Soon the sun started setting and a golden glow swept over everything. Zero climbed up a tree to think about what happened. And Inu-Yasha laid down on the ground, closed his eyes and . . .  
  
"Hey Inu-Yasha! It's time to wake up!" Shippo yelled into Inu-Yasha's ear.  
  
Inu-Yasha sat straight up, and he grabbed his ear, that had hurt! When Inu- Yasha sat up he flung Shippo to the ground. Shippo hit the hard ground with a thud.  
  
"Hey! What was that for!?" Inu-Yasha asked/yelled at Shippo.  
  
"I called you from down here, but you wouldn't wake up, so I came up there."  
  
"Come on Inu-Yasha! Those Shikon shards aren't going to find themselves!" Kagome yelled up to him.  
  
Inu-Yasha looked at his companions: Kagome was on her bike-thing, Shippo riding in it's basket. Miroku had a red hand imprint on his face, no doubt from Sango. Sango was doing her best not to look at Miroku as he sat down rubbing his sore face.  
  
Inu-Yasha mumbled but came down from his perch in the tree to get going with the others. They all started toward the forest. Inu-Yasha remembered it as 'Zero's' forest. He wanted to meet her, but would she still be there after fifty years? She probolly thought that he was dead, no doubt that she saw him pinned to the tree shortly after he was 'killed'. Did she even care that he had been gone? What would he say if he saw her again after fifty years? She had been the one that first told him of the Shikon Jewel and warned hm that the keeper was very powerful. They had gone to find it, not because she wanted to, but because he wanted to. Then he fell in love with Kikyo and she left. She said that she needed to check her territory and make sure that no had claimed it while she was gone, and that was the last time he saw her. What would happen to her after fifty years ago? Would she have changed? Or would she have aged? Would she be . . . alive?  
  
He walked along with them. They all knew that something was wrong. Inu- Yasha just didn't go this long without an insult to anybody with everything all right. He kept up with them, but he left his eyes on the ground. It seemed as if he was trying to memorize every rock, leaf, and mound of dirt. Then when Kagome looked at him, she could tell that his eyes were not focusing on the ground, it was as if he was looking far away, into something that no one else could see.  
  
Kagome couldn't take it anymore. She needed to know if everything was all right, and she knew that the others were worried too.  
  
"Hey Inu-Yasha, are you all right?" Kagome asked gently.  
  
"Uh, huh." He focused on the ground. He looked at the rock and bushes that went past him, but his mind was not there. All he could think about was Zero. This was her territory, just like he remembered. The gentle stream to right, and the rabbit hole to his left, except this time, he had no want to bark in it. Everything seemed exactly the same. Except one thing. There was not even the smell of cat. This depressed him even more as he sighed and kept his eyes in the direction of the ground.  
  
There was a rustle from above him and a catlike cry as a furry blur dropped down from the trees.  
  
"YOU'RE IN MY TERRITORY! MEEEEEYYYYYYYOOOOOWWWWW!!!" it yelled at him as it dropped down. One thought passed through Inu-Yasha's head: ZERO!  
  
The creature fell, elbow out, and aiming for Inu-Yasha's head. Inu-Yasha, too shocked to react and took the blow straight on his forehead. He instantly clutched his head in pain, and the creature did a back flip in mid air.  
  
"This is my territory, how dare you enter it without permission, I will make you pay-." the creature looked up, "I-Inu-Yasha. . . ?"  
  
Inu-Yasha stoped clutching his aching head and looked up at what had attacked him She had a human form with some likenesses of a cat. She had long pointy cat ears at the top her head, they were easily three times the size of Inu-Yasha's. She had snow-white fur streaked with black stripes, and a tail. Her nose, hands and feet were, too, were that of a cat's. She wore a black leotard with a thick belt around her waist. Her open sandles were plain that showed her cawed paws. She had pure white hair with black hairs streaked through it. And on her back was a long black pole.  
  
"Zero. . . ?" She looked the same as the last day he say her, 15 years old, but that was to be expected, she was a demon after all.  
  
"Inu . . . Yasha? No! It can't be! He died . . . You! How dare you take Inu-Yasha's form? How dare you mock me?! Me and Inu-Yasha were friends and you will pay for taking his form to try to trick me into letting you take over my territory!? You . . . will . . . PAY!" Zero lunged at him, claws fully extended. "I will get you!" In her anger her attacks were wild and predictable, so Inu-Yasha was easily able to dodge them, he just couldn't believe that she was attacking him! She thought that he was a fake and that he had died years ago, but he was only asleep!  
  
Sango lifted her weapon, Kagome got her arrows ready, Miroku held his staff tight, and Shippo stood shakily on Kagome's shoulder. Who knew where Myoga was. They all were ready to fight, but Inu-Yasha shook his head, this was his fight.  
  
He looked into her eyes, they were shining with determination and. . . hate. He could understand the determination, she was throwing everything at him, because she thought that he was a fake, and hate. Was she really that mad? Did she really care that much that someone would imitate him?  
  
"Zero, it is me! I am Inu-Yasha!"  
  
"Liar! Don't even try to trick me!"  
  
"Zero, I promise you, I am not tricking you! It's me! I am Inu-Yasha!"  
  
"Try that again, and you dead! STEAL TIGER CLAWS!" She rushed forward at him, her claw glowing silver, he remembered this attack, there was only one was to avoid this attack, and he knew how.  
  
"CLAWS OF STEAL! STEAL CLAWS UNTIE AND DEPART!" His claws met with hers and for a second, his hand turned silver completely, and then just as fast as it had come, the silver was gone and he was thrown backwards, and the same happened to Zero. He hit the ground hard, dirt made its way into his mouth, and he slowly sat up and spit the dirt out. He looked over to Zero, She sat up, very slowly and looked at her paw, it was no longer silver, just an ordinary paw.  
  
"Steal Claws Unite and depart . . . Only Inu-Yasha knew that . . . You are him, aren't you? You have to be . . . but how, it's impossible. . ."  
  
"Feh. It's not impossible, nothing is. You should know that." Inu-Yasha replied.  
  
End of Chapter 2 


	3. Broken Trust

Zero  
  
Chapter three ~ Broken Trust  
  
Zero was sitting on the ground crying. Inu-Yasha didn't know what to do, but he knew that he had to do something. He knelt down beside her and scratched her back, if he remembered right, that would calm her down.  
  
"How can you be alive?" The cat-demon looked up at him, "How?"  
  
"When I was pinned to the tree, Kikyo did not kill me. Kikyo did not kill me. I was just under a powerful spell that could not be broken. Then Kagome came and broke it. She is the reincarnation of Kikyo, that is how she was able to break it."  
  
Zero stood up, she looked down at the ground, "I need to think." With that she jumped up into a tree.  
  
"I don't get it, you said that you were always alone, but you had Zero." Kagome said.  
  
"No, I started pushing myself away from her and she let me." He shook his head. "There was a fight over Zero's territory. This demon not only wanted to take her territory, but he also wanted to take her to be his slave. I tried to protect her, but my body was taken over and I attacked her. After that, I decided that it would be better if I stayed away from everyone." There was a look of sadness in his eyes. "I need to go think."  
  
Inu-Yasha jumped into a tree on the other side of Zero's territory.  
  
He sat in a tree, he watched as the sun went down and the stars came out. It was beautiful, but his mind went to the battle that day, he was thirteen.  
  
They stood next to each other, they looked fierce standing there side by side, and they kept their guard up on every side and acted as one.  
  
"Well, well, somebody else wants your territory, Zero, what do you say to that?" Inu-Yasha asked his companion.  
  
"I say he has guts, but no strength to back it up." She smiled as she looked at the puny demon in front of them. His clothed were three sizes to big, he was all skin and bone, and in his hand was a flute.  
  
He smiled, "Just try me."  
  
Inu-Yasha looked at Zero and looked back. They didn't have to say anything. They just nodded and knew what to do.  
  
"Meeeyyooooowwww!" Zero roared and Inu-Yasha darted to the demon's right and Zero to his left.  
  
"Claws of Steal!"  
  
"Steal Tiger Claws!"  
  
The skinny demon easily avoided both attacks. "Nice try, my turn." He lifted the flute to his mouth and began to blow gently into it. The next thing that Inu-Yasha knew, a fog covered his vision, and he was throwing an attack at Zero. He couldn't stop the words coming out of his mouth, or his claws that cracked. He couldn't stop himself. "Claws of Steal!"  
  
It was the worst thing that ever happened to him, he knew what was happening but had no power over any of it. He was afraid, he liked to be in control of things and he couldn't even control himself. He wanted to yell and scream at Zero, 'run you idiot!' But he had no control. Even his voice wasn't listening to him. He saw as his fingers cracked and his mouth opened. The girl in front of him stood terrified.  
  
Zero stood staring at her friend. What was he doing? He was attacking her, but why? An evil smile crossed his face and his eyes; they were so cold, no feeling at all. The cat-demon shivered.  
  
"Claws of Steal."  
  
Zero barley managed to dodge it. Inu-Yasha smiled and cracked his claws again, what was she supposed to do? She couldn't hurt him! He was the only friend she had ever had. She just couldn't so; she got ready to dodge another attack, not knowing what to do.  
  
"Claws of Steal."  
  
This one hit. Claws sunk deep down into her flesh, Zero winced in pain. Instinct took over. Anger flashed through her eyes, "Steal Tiger Claws!" She cried.  
  
Zero looked at the blood dripping from the dog-demon's shoulder. Had she done that? Whatever had possessed her to do something like that? How could she have done that to her friend? He may be attacking her, but he was still her friend that she could never hurt. She stood still for him, tears streamed from her eyes. If he wanted to kill her, it was by his claws she wanted to die. She looked at the ground and awaited her fate.  
  
Cold, hard, alien, claws touched her face and pointed it upward to look at him. He smiled a cold smile. This wasn't her Inu-Yasha, she thought, it couldn't be. But at the same time she wanted to know, how could it be somebody else?  
  
Inu-Yasha wanted to yell, 'It's not me! I swear! It is not me!' but was helpless. He may have his mind, but something else controlled his body.  
  
A faint sound of a flute reached Zero's sensitive ears. Now she knew, she had to get the flute, which was what was controlling him. She broke out of her trance and ran at the man, claws outstretched.  
  
"Steal Tiger Claws!" But there was Inu-Yasha. He had been faster than she had. He stood in front of the flute demon and protected him. It was to late for her to stop her attack and her claws sunk into the half-breed. She stood in horror as her friend's body fell to the ground. She then too dropped to her knees, "No. . ." She whispered.  
  
"I shall now take you, too," The flute demon said.  
  
"Zero. . . I am. . .sorry. . .it wasn't . . . me. . ." Inu-Yasha said before falling into a blackness. The demon had released him, to weak to do him any good.  
  
"No, it was me." She whispered as the flute music started, she ran towards the demon, "Steal Tiger Claws!" Just then she was taken over, but the attack could not be stopped and the demon vanished into thin air.  
  
She dropped beside Inu-Yasha, both of them too weak to move. She closed her eyes and fell into the blackness, when she woke up, she would tell Inu-Yasha how sorry she was.  
  
Inu-Yasha fisted his hand; his claws poked themselves into his skin, drawing blood. It had been his entire fault that she was hurt, and he had decided that it was because he was weak. If he had more power, he could have been kept from being taken over, if he had been a full demon. He decided to go after the Shikon Jewel. That was the reason, he always sought power, he didn't want to hurt Zero anymore. That had been why the 'Steal Claws Unite and Depart' was made, so that if something ever happened to one of them, they couldn't hurt each other.  
  
He looked around, he was in a tree, and it was a habit he remembered as being picked up by Zero. The sun was almost gone and the moon nearly out. He sighed as he remembered how he avoided her for the next two years, until he heard about the Shikon. He and her then went to get it.  
  
Zero looked up at the almost night sky. Tears fell from her eyes. She was remembering that same day. He had wanted nothing to do with her after that day. She must have scared him into believing that she couldn't be trusted anymore. They still had been friends, but he stayed to himself a lot more after that, and always looked sad and lonely. Zero blamed herself, she betrayed him. She had hurt the only person that she ever cared about, the only person she had loved. . .  
  
She told him about the Shikon Jewel, and how much power it had been rumored to give demons. She warned him about the priestess, but he still almost immediately left for the village of the Shikon.  
  
They had been walking a long time now and barely said anything to each other. Inu-Yasha was not in a good mood; he had been mumbling something about why this village was so far away. She followed him, not listening and occasionally bopping him over the head for yelling at her.  
  
"Hey! Is that the village?" Inu-Yasha asked and pointed toward a little group of houses clustered together to form a village.  
  
"Uh, huh." Zero nodded.  
  
"Finally!" He walked right into the village. All the people scattered from him as he walked into the village. He stood tall and called out to the villagers, "Where is the Shikon Jewel?" No one answered and he asked again, "Where is the Jewel?"  
  
This time someone walked out of a hut, "I have it." A girl with long black hair stood in front of him. "And why do you want to know?" The girl asked him, keeping her ground.  
  
"I need that Jewel, now give it to me." Inu-Yasha threatened.  
  
"Do you plan to become a full human, or a full demon, half-breed?" She questioned.  
  
"Demon, of course. Idiot." He whispered.  
  
The girl raised her bow and arrows, "Go, leave, you are not welcome here."  
  
"Not until I get the Jewel." That answer received an arrow in his shoulder. "What? What do think you are doing? Hand over the Jewel." She gave him another arrow, right next to the other.  
  
"Leave." She pointed the arrow threateningly.  
  
Inu-Yasha met back up with me full of arrows, Zero giggled at the memory. But then sighed, she remember the look on his face when he looked at her. He loved her from the first moment he saw her. I didn't have a chance. So I left, told Inu-Yasha I needed to watch over my territory. The priestess betrayed him. Killing him for around fifty years. Zero remembered how much she cried that day and how lonely she felt.  
  
The thought alone brought tears to her eyes. By now it was dark and she heard voices from below.  
  
Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, Sango, and Myoga sat around a fire. They were all deep in thought.  
  
"So what do you think that meant?" Kagome asked.  
  
"I have no idea." Sango said.  
  
"Well, you'd think that after so long two friends would actually talk to one another." Shippo talk them.  
  
"You would think that two love birds like those would be all lovey- dovey around each other." Miroku sighed.  
  
"L-love-birds?" Kagome's voice shook and Miroku just nodded.  
  
Sango hit him over the head with her boomerang bone. "Idiot."  
  
Kagome didn't want to admit it, but she was worried. If he really loved Zero, would he stay here with her? Would he just leave her for the cat-demon?  
  
Sango figured what Kagome was thinking. She put her hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Don't worry, he's not like that." Kagome nodded, but Sango saw the doubt in her eyes.  
  
A twig snapped behind them. "Hey! What's that?" Shippo asked. He turned around to find Inu-Yasha's cat demon friend staring at them. Her eyes glowed a cat eye yellow in the moonlight and her fangs showed and she opened her mouth. She looked at Kagome.  
  
"Listen. I don't want Inu-Yasha hurt again, especially by a Kikyo the second. I won't hurt you because you're his friend, but if you hurt him like Kikyo did, watch your back."  
  
End of Chapter Three 


	4. Worst Fears

Liger003 ~ sorry, I was out of town for a while, so I couldn't update, but now I have two chapters for you all.  
  
Disclaimer ~ I do not own Inu-Yasha and co. And don't sue me, I have no money.  
  
Zero  
  
Chapter Four ~ Worst Fears  
  
"I am not like Kikyo." Kagome told her.  
  
"Oh, really? You're her reincarnation, right?" The cat-demon's eyes glowed.  
  
"Well, yeah, but. . ."  
  
"So in other words, you are not like her, you are her."  
  
"No I am not Kikyo!"  
  
"Yea! Kagome is not a thing like Kikyo!" Shippo backed his friend up.  
  
"I must agree." Miroku nodded his head; "Lady Kagome is nothing like Lady Kikyo, except in her looks. Looks can be deceiving."  
  
"This is coming from you? The pervert that asks every pretty girl he meets to bear his child?" Sango shook her head, "Well, anyway, Kikyo is nothing like Kagome.  
  
Kagome does not roam the earth living off hate of Inu-Yasha. . ." She mumbled under her breath. Zero's sensitive ears twitched and picked up what she had said.  
  
"What? Kikyo's still alive?"  
  
"Uh, could you call it living?" Shippo asked Kagome.  
  
"Well, think what you mortals like. But you," She looked at Kagome. "Hurt him, and I will make you wish that you never even met him." With this last statement she hopped into a tree and over to her old friend.  
  
Inu-Yasha sat in his tree and stared up at the stars, they always seemed to help him calm down. Tonight, though, even the stars seemed to have trouble taking his mind off of how much he had hurt his friend. It had been his entire fault. His entire fault. His fisted his hands and blood trickled down his arm from where his fisted claws had been drawing blood all night. She was probably mad that he came back. But then a voice inside his head told him that that was not true and he knew it.  
  
There was a rustle of leaves to his right, "Who's there?" He asked and instinctively grabbed the hilt of the steal fang.  
  
"It's just me, Inu-Yasha." Zero's head immerged from the leaves.  
  
"Zero?" He asked and she nodded her head, "Are you mad?"  
  
"What do you mean?" She came over and sat on the same branch as him. She wrapped her tail around her waist and her yellow eyes stared intently at him.  
  
"All those years ago, are still mad that I attacked you?" He looked up at her with the eyes of a puppy that had been punished for chewing on the corner of a table. If he had a tail it would be between his legs.  
  
"Am I mad? About the fight with the flute man?' Inu-Yasha nodded, "No, you couldn't have done anything, you were being controlled."  
  
The dog demon once again fisted his hands and Zero watched as more blood followed the path that the other trickles had started. "Yeah, but if I had been stronger, I could have-"  
  
"You still could have done nothing. And, stop that." She pointed to where he kept hurting himself, "There is absolutely no reason for you to hurt yourself over something that happened, what? Fifty-two years ago?" Inu- Yasha nodded. "So forget that, that's why you went after that jewel, didn't you?"  
  
Inu-Yasha nodded, "I thought that I could use it to get stronger, become a full demon, and I would never be taken over again."  
  
"The Jewel's broken now, though." Zero asked and he nodded, "You're still looking?" He nodded again, "Is that why you are with all of the humans?"  
  
"Yeah, Kagome detects the shard, Miroku has a hellhole in his hand that can suck demons inside of it, and Sango can fight. The cowardly flea, Myoga, he has some good advice. I have absolutely no idea why that fox, Shippo, is with us."  
  
"There was a flea? I didn't see him."  
  
"He probably ran away when you showed up."  
  
"Are you sure that that is the only reason, and they are not friends of yours?"  
  
"Feh! Of course! I have always wanted weaklings for friends." He said sarcastically.  
  
"I don't know if your 'shard detector' told you, but I have something that might just help you." She grabbed his hand with her paw and opened it. She then searched in a pouch on her belt for something. "Aha! I have them." She pulled something out. In his opened hand dropped three shards of the Shikon Jewel.  
  
She giggled as her friend's eyes grew three times their normal size. "H-how did you get these?"  
  
"A few of the demon's that attacked me had them" She could tell that he was speechless, "You know that you have always been strong enough for me. You don't need any shards to make me like you better."  
  
He looked at her; "I don't know what to say."  
  
She smiled, "Don't bother to say anything, look up." She pointed to the stars. "I know how much you like to look at them, so tell me you don't."  
  
Neither knew how long they stared at the beautiful twinkling stars above them, and neither demon cared.  
  
"She definitely doesn't like me." Kagome sighed.  
  
"Can you blame her?" Miroku asked the sad looking Kagome that stared deep into the golden flames of the fire.  
  
"She was just worried." Sango told her. "She thinks that you will hurt her friend like Kikyo did."  
  
"That's all I am to her, another Kikyo," Kagome looked at the ground, "Maybe even to Inu-Yasha. . ."  
  
"That's not true." Shippo told his friend.  
  
"Yes, it is." Tears formed in Kagome's eyes. "I am just another Kikyo. I don't belong in this time with Inu-Yasha. He belongs with Zero, and I belong in my time."  
  
"What? You think that Inu-Yasha belongs with Zero? Don't you think that you should let him decide that for himself? Or do you think that you have the right to decide for him?" Miroku raised an eyebrow, "That's kinda mean."  
  
"She loves him, and he loves her." Kagome insisted.  
  
"She may love him, but he may not love her back. You never know." Sango put her hand on her shoulder. "Especially with Inu-Yasha. You just never know."  
  
Kagome had to smile at that. It was true. You never knew with that dog demon. "Thanks."  
  
"No problem."  
  
And with that they all sat around the fire and slowly let sleep sweep over them.  
  
Zero heard the soft even breathing of her friend. She looked over to make sure, but she already knew that he was asleep. He was asleep all right, but the thing that caught her attention most was the smile on his lips. Maybe she did have a chance against Kikyo's reincarnation after all. Maybe he might just want to stay with her after all. Maybe.  
  
She leaned against the tree trunk and looked at Inu-Yasha again. He was practically sitting up. One hand was on his sword, and the other on his knee. How in the world did he ever fall asleep like that? She smiled and shook her head. Zero looked up at the sky. The stars seemed so far away, and so carefree. She wished that she could be like that. Without a care in the wold, that would be the life. She yawned and stretched. She leaned against the tree and closed her eyes.  
  
"I smell the Shikon Shards, I smell them, they are so close. . . There are so many." The shadow seemed to glide across the ground. It found a camp of people. There was a girl with raven hair in a pigtail. It engulfed her. Sliding completely over her sleeping body and then left as though it was never there, "No Shards."  
  
It next went over to the monk, but slid off of him quickly. "No Shards." It slid itself over to a little fox demon. But left Quickly with the words "No Shards." It went over to the only person left. The girl in the strange clothes. It stopped suddenly and looked up, there were two demons in the tree above it. The dog-demon stirred. It had to hurry. It stopped again. It felt eyes boring into it. It looked up to find the dog- demon's eyes open and looking down. The eyes searched, but could not find anything. That was the best part about being a shadow demon. You are practically invisible at night.  
  
Inu-Yasha nudged Zero. The cat-demon yawned and stretched. She stopped, though, as soon as she looked into Inu-Yasha's eyes. There was something not right.  
  
"Something's down there." He whispered to her. Zero nodded, she felt it, too, now that she was awake. Zero's cat eyes skimmed everything on the ground for something out of place. Inu-Yasha looked over and noticed how scary her eyes looked at night when they were searching for something. They were just two little glowing lights in all of the darkness. The slits added a nice touch, too.  
  
"There." She pointed to a shadow near Kagome.  
  
"It's just a shadow." Inu-Yasha said skeptically.  
  
"Sure, it's just a shadow, but what is it a shadow of?" Inu-Yasha looked around, she was right; there was absolutely nothing for it to be a shadow of. It must have noticed that they saw it, because it started moving, toward Kagome. Inu-Yasha jumped down from his tree and using his claws tried to slice the shadow. He felt the slippery slime of the shadow slide through his fingers like water. He didn't take the time to look up to see if he had finished it off, he just ran over to Kagome.  
  
"Wake up!" He shook her harshly.  
  
He looked over to see Zero at his side, her eyes searched ever inch of her territory for the shadow, but it seemed to have disappeared. The full moon gave off the only light that they had which because of the trees was barely enough to see a few feet in front of their noses.  
  
Kagome rubbed her eyes, "Whass Wrong?"  
  
"Something's here," Inu-Yasha told her, "Wake the others."  
  
"Right." She nodded and ran over to Shippo and Sango.  
  
Sango rubbed her eyes and noticed something in front of her. It looked like it wanted to stay out sight. All it seemed to be was a black blob, but it kept growing. It piled on top of itself and it was now reaching the size of a tree. She didn't know what it was, but it defiantly wasn't right.  
  
"Boomerang Bone!" It whizzed past Kagome's ear and sliced the shadow in half. She caught the boomerang bone as it flew back to her. The shadow just pulled it's two parts back together.  
  
"So that's where it went." Zero said and spun around to face it. Inu- Yasha did the same.  
  
"So, you found me." The shadow took the shape of a human body. It had no face and no color, it was completely black. "But I am afraid that you will need more than that to defeat me. Can you overcome your worst fears?"  
  
"I am afraid of nothing." Inu-Yasha drew the Tetsiaga.  
  
"I like your new toy." Zero told Inu-Yasha, "but, I have one, too." She grabbed the pole off of her back and held it out in front of her. The pole grew taller then she was and then a long point came out of the end of the pole, forming a glaive (You know Sailor Saturn on Sailor Moon? Her weapon is a glaive, they used them in medieval times.) "What do you think?"  
  
"I like it." Inu-Yasha told her.  
  
"Everybody is scared of something. Let's see your fear." It waved it's black hand in front of Inu-Yasha and looked at it. It smiled, or so it looked like. "I see your fear." "I told you, I fear nothing." Inu-Yasha insisted.  
  
"Oh, but you do fear, and what an amusing fear you have."  
  
"It has a Shikon Shard!" Kagome cried out. Inu-Yasha gritted his teeth.  
  
"You fear losing her," It pointed at Kagome, "Just like you did the other that looks like her. But you fear killing her by your own hands more than someone else's."  
  
"Is that true, Inu-Yasha?" Kagome asked.  
  
Inu-Yasha lifted the steal fang; "I fear nothing!"  
  
Zero stared at him as he charged the shadow. He did care for the reincarnation more than he did her then. She looked at the ground, and water rushed to her eyes, but quickly stopped herself. This is no time for tears, she told herself, she had to help Inu-Yasha.  
  
"Watch as your fear becomes reality."  
  
The shadow raised it's hand and blackness engulfed him, he couldn't see, he couldn't hear, he couldn't breath. He dropped the Tetsiaga a fell to his knees trying to pull the black slime off of him.  
  
"Inu-Yasha!" Zero and Kagome yelled at the same time. Zero ran to his side to try to help pull off the black goo, but Kagome stood where she was, what could she do?  
  
End of Chapter four.  
  
Liger003 ~ Sorry! It got a little sappy. More than I wanted it to, but it turned out okay I think, tell me what you think! Review please! You don't know how much faster a review can make me type! 


	5. Tiger's Blood

Disclaimer ~ I do not own Inu-Yasha and co.  
  
  
  
  
  
Zero  
  
Chapter five ~ Tiger's Blood  
  
Zero extended her claws and started digging in the goo for her friend. If she didn't hurry he would suffocate. "What do you think that you are all doing?" She yelled at everybody. They were just standing there in shock. But when Zero yelled they snapped out of it.  
  
"I am going to suck this. . . thing. . . into oblivion!" Miroku grabbed his covered hand and uncovered it, including the rosary. " Brace yourselves!" He cried out just before the hellhole was opened.  
  
The shadow had no idea what was going on and stood still, watching as the monk uncovered his hand. Suddenly it saw everything around it being pulled toward the monk's hand and into it. It felt no pull though.  
  
"Bwahahahaha!" The shadow started laughing.  
  
"It's not working!" Miroku yelled.  
  
"You mortals are such fools!" It laughed, "I am a shadow! I can not be pulled into your vortex because I am not a solid!"  
  
"But I felt your slime! And it is on Inu-Yasha!" Zero cried.  
  
"Bwahahahahaha! I have the power to change from a shadow to a slime!"  
  
"Dang it!" Miroku closed the hellhole.  
  
"Sango, you are an exterminator, how do we finish off a demon like this?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Shadow demons shouldn't have the power to become a slime. He must be using the Shikon Shard for that. . . I don't know. . ."  
  
"Great where's Myoga when you need him?" Kagome wondered.  
  
"Probably ran away awhile ago." Shippo said, and Kagome had to agree. That would be just like him.  
  
Zero had just gotten all of the slime off of Inu-Yasha and she knelt beside him, his eyes were closed. She put her ear to his chest, he was still breathing. He was only unconscious. She took a deep breath and thanked her lucky stars he wasn't dead. Zero noticed that he was slowly opening his eyes. She leaned over him, "Inu-Yasha? You okay?"  
  
Inu-Yasha's eyes slowly opened and there was a strange blackness on the edges of his vision. He could see Zero staring down at him. Words seemed to come from her mouth, but they were so far away he could not understand them. Inu-Yasha's body was completely numb. He couldn't feel his fingers, toes, or any other part of his body. He tried to groan, but his voice was not working.  
  
"Inu-Yasha?" The words came from her mouth and very slowly reached his ears. (It was like those old bad Japanese movies where they move their mouths and then the sound comes a few seconds later.) Her eyes looked so worried. He wanted to tell her that he was okay, but then he sat up. What was he doing? He didn't tell his body to do that! What was going on? He stood up. He moved his face away from Zero. It was as if his body was looking for something.  
  
"Inu-Yasha, are you all right?" Zero asked him. He turned around and smiled at her. He knelt down and picked up the Tetsiaga. The sword transformed into the Steal Fang. He held it up and pointed it at Zero. What was he doing? He had to stop it! He had to control himself. But he couldn't his body was acting on its own. He pointed the Fang into her throat.  
  
Zero looked up at Inu-Yasha, she was scared. What had happened to Inu- Yasha? This wasn't him. She looked into his pupilless eyes. They were so cold. She shivered. He smiled at her but then the smile vanished from his lips and he dropped his sword from her throat and brought it to his side. He obviously wasn't after her. He turned and walked away from her.  
  
Zero saw everyone fighting the demon; so far it looked like the shadow was winning. Sango threw her boomerang bone over and over, it looked like she was trying to keep him occupied while the others went and surprised him with as attack on the other side. Miroku snuck up behind him. He was in slime form, good. He grabbed his hand and was ready to pull the rosary off of his arm when suddenly the shadow turned around. It looked at Miroku and seemed to smile at him. "So, planing to suck me in while I am a slime, huh? Nice try, but let's bring your fear to reality." It waved his hand in Miroku's face, "Ah, I see your fear. I'll let you see it now, too."  
  
"Miroku!" Sango cried, "Boomerang Bone!" The demon was sliced in half, but to slow.  
  
Slime went into Miroku's eyes. He tried to clean them and slowly got the slime out. Pain shot out in his hand he looked at it and saw the hellhole getting wider. It was engulfing his palm and it didn't stop there. He had to do something. It was going to swallow him up, and he hasn't gotten his revenge on Naraku and he was without an heir. He started yelling, but didn't notice. He was too preoccupied with his hand. What would he do? Just die? Like all of his ancestors up until his grandfather?  
  
Sango watched in horror as Miroku was taken over by the hellhole. She didn't even notice as the shadow waved its hand in front of her face.  
  
"Oh, I see your fear. You are afraid of loosing the monk. That works out nice." It watched as Sango fell to her knees and tears streamed down her face. She started shaking violently and screaming bloody murder. "Now let's see how Inu-Yasha's doing."  
  
Kagome watched as her two friends were being destroyed, physically and mentally. She started shaking. It was the worst thing that she had ever seen. Suddenly a force knocked into her and pushed her to the ground. Kagome saw the Tetsiaga next to her shoulder; whatever knocked her out of the way just saved her life. She looked to her other side to see Zero. The cat-demon quickly stood up and grabbed her arm. Kagome looked up to see who wielding the sword. She looked up to see a smiling Inu-Yasha. Why was he attacking her? The shadow's words repeated themselves in her head, 'You fear losing her just like you did the other that looks like her. But you fear killing her with your own hands more than someone else's. Watch, as your fear becomes reality!'  
  
But before she had time to think it over, Zero grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Inu-Yasha who was already bringing the Tetsiaga back up. Zero ran as fast as she could to get away from the dog demon.  
  
When they got far enough from Inu-Yasha to stop running for a while Kagome asked a question, "Why did you save me? I thought that you hated me."  
  
"Don't get the wrong idea. I don't like any mortal, especially you. I just can't let Inu-Yasha's worst fear come true. He would never forgive me."  
  
"That isn't Inu-Yasha, is it?"  
  
"No, he is being controlled." She looked sad, "Just like all of those years ago. . ."  
  
Kagome didn't know what to say, she didn't know hat what had happened to them, but it didn't look good from the expression on her face. Suddenly she noticed that the shadow's hand was coming toward them. Instinctivally she (No, she didn't lie down and scream) grabbed her arrows. She pulled back the arrow and let go just in time to hit the hand. A white light swirled around the arrow. The arrow struck it and the black hand vanished. The demon was shocked, but quickly grew its hand back.  
  
"Nice try." It went right back after them as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Zero, what do we do?" Kagome looked over at Zero. Zero's eyes lost their pupils and her fangs grew three times their normal size, "Zero?" Kagome stared at her, not knowing what to do.  
  
"Inu-Yasha, I will not let your fears become reality!" Zero cried.  
  
Zero's paws grew, too, and her stripes became darker. Her hair stood straight up and Zero let out a cry as she transformed. Her claws grew and she stood on all fours. Kagome couldn't believe what she was seeing.  
  
Before her stood a gigantic white tiger.  
  
End of Chapter five  
  
Liger003 ~ You know what I noticed? I have the hardest time spelling all of those names, heck, I have trouble spelling period! So sorry if I spell anything wrong. Mainly Miroku's name. For some reason I keep wanting to sell it Miruko. Don't ask, I don't know. So if I missed something when I was proof reading it, sorry! Remember to review! 


	6. Mind Over Bady

Zero  
  
Chapter six ~ mind over body  
  
The gigantic Tiger Kagome roared. It was a long terrifying roar. Kagome had to cover her ears to try to keep the sound from bursting her eardrums. The tiger roared again as the shadow hand came toward her. She crouched and got ready to pounce.  
  
What had happened to Zero? Was this white tiger her? Then she thought back to when Inu-Yasha fought Sesshomaru for the first time. He had turned into a gigantic dog, Inu-Yasha told her that that was his true form. Was this Zero's true form? Unlike Inu-Yasha, she was a whole demon, it was possible.  
  
Inu-Yasha looked at this and could not believe what he was seeing. Zero had transformed into her true form. Zero never transformed, she said that it took to much of her power to do so. He remembered how when she de- transformed how weak she was. Why would she transform, knowing that after she would leave herself weak and vulnerable?  
  
Inu-Yasha's body must have been able to read his mind because it quickly told the shadow just what he thought. He bowed down before the shadow, "Master, if we weaken her to where she de-transforms, she will be weak and easily killed."  
  
What in the world was he doing? Why would his body betray his mind like that? If he had a body to control he would beat himself up right now.  
  
"Why thank you Inu-Yasha. That will be most helpful." The shadow replied.  
  
"Your welcome, Master." Inu-Yasha's body replied.  
  
MASTER!? What the heck was he saying? He wanted more than anything to strangle himself. He was nobody's slave! He had to get his body back under his control. But how? His friends, they were all being hurt, and he could do nothing. His body was acting under the shadow's control. He felt so helpless. It was like that time with Zero fifty-two years ago. If he could he would have shivered. That day was still fresh in his mind.  
  
"Now, you go and finish off that girl." The shadow pointed to Kagome.  
  
"Yes, Master." Inu-Yasha bowed and walked over to the girl that was hiding behind the gigantic white tiger.  
  
Kagome watched as Inu-Yasha walked toward them. She lifted up her arrows, but knew that she could never hit him. The white tiger looked at Kagome and nodded to its back. Did Zero want her to ride on her back? Inu- Yasha was getting closer. Kagome decided to take her chances with Zero. Kagome grabbed onto her back and pulled herself on top of the tiger. As soon as she did Zero was off. The wind swept by her ears and blew her hair back. They sped by the trees and everything else in a blur. She never thought that it was possible to move this fast. Kagome forgot about all the danger and problems behind them. This felt great!  
  
Kagome was soon knocked out of her dream as the Tetsiaga came down next to Zero and the cat demon had to take a leap to the side that nearly knocked Kagome off. The gigantic cat looked at her as if to say 'hang on!'  
  
The tiger roared and bared her fangs. Inu-Yasha was running full speed to try to catch them. He held up the steal fang and was about to swing when Zero took a leap to the right. Kagome tried to hold on, but it as hopeless. Kagome fell off and hit the ground hard. She rolled and felt pain in her arm. She quickly grabbed her arm and looked at the hand that she had grabbed it with. Blood was smeared on her hand. Kagome cursed under her breath and looked up to see Inu-Yasha coming down on her with the Fang. She closed her eyes, waiting for the final blow, but it never came.  
  
Kagome opened her eyes to see the white tiger in front of her. She saw the sword deep in Zero's side. Zero's eyes were opened in shock and pain. Zero had protected her from the blow of Inu-Yasha's sword.  
  
The tiger let out a final roar and started shrinking; slowly taking human shape. Zero was de-transforming. She had no will to fight anymore. Zero, in the form that Kagome had originally saw her in, fell to the ground in front of her. Zero grabbed her side in pain where the dog-demon's sword had wounded her.  
  
Inu-Yasha smiled and raised his sword. He was going to kill them both with just one swing. Zero looked to her side to see her glaive. He started bringing the sword down. (The shadow sat on the sidelines eating popcorn and drinking soda. He was enjoying the show as if he was in the movie theaters.) Zero's arm swept out to grab her glaive. She held it in both hands and held the long pole out in front of her.  
  
CLANG!  
  
The Fang was brought down and collided with the pole of Zero's glaive. Inu-Yasha was shocked that it didn't just go through the pole. The power of the glaive matched the Fang. Inu-Yasha pushed down harder.  
  
"Run, you idiot!" Zero yelled at Kagome. Kagome didn't want to leave Zero, but if she stayed then she would just get in the way. Kagome ran away from them to find Miroku and Sango.  
  
Mirroku's hellhole had nearly absorbed him all of the way. Sango watched, completely helpless. She screamed along with Miroku. She wanted to help them, but there was nothing that she could do.  
  
She ran into the bushes to hide. Kagome noticed that a few of the leaves to her left were shaking. She pulled them apart to find Shippo watching this in horror. He shook and tears fell down his face. She immediatally knew what his worst fear was. Losing all of his friends. Which was happening before his eyes. He was just a kid. He shouldn't have to see this.  
  
"Shippo. . ." Kagome called to him. The little fox demon turned around to look at her. He stared at her for a moment, but then quickly jumped into her arms.  
  
"Kagome, I'm scared . . ." She held the shaking fox demon and cuddled him, telling him that everything would be alright. But she didn't know if it would.  
  
She looked back at Inu-Yaha and Zero.  
  
"Give it up, Zero." Inu-Yasha told her, "You will die tonight. By my claws!"  
  
"I won't fight you because you are my friend, even if you are possessed, but trust me, I will NOT die!"  
  
Damn it, Zero! Stop being so loyal! Inu-Yasha thought. That is for dogs, not cats! Now stop that and make it to where I can no longer move! I know that you could do it!  
  
Inu-Yasha knew that she couldn't read his mind and that she would never attack him, but it kept him busy.  
  
"Inu-Yasha." The shadow demon called to him, "Finish it."  
  
"Right, Master." Inu-Yasha's body replied. He faced Zero once again, "I don't have time for you." He pushed down on the Steal Fang and Zero was too weak to keep her defense up. Her arms were forced back and the Fang trust into her side. She let out one last cry of pain as she fell to the ground, unconscious.  
  
Inu-Yasha smiled as his prey fell to the ground. He now needed to find Kagome. The half breed held his nose up in the air and sniffed. He closed his eyes, smelling that unmistakable scent of Kagome.  
  
Kagome watched in shock as the possesed demon walked toward her. Shippo looked over to see what his friend was looking at. His eyes widened as He saw Inu-Yasha walking toward them. The look on his face was one that showed extreme confidence. He knew what he was going to do and seemed to be planning how to do it in his head. (Wait! He can't our Inu-Yasha's up there!) Shippo shreeked in horror and shoved his face in Kagome's shirt. She noticed her shirt getting wet, Shippo was crying even more.  
  
Inu-Yasha pulled the bushes aside and stared at Kagome and the fox demon.  
  
"Hello, Kagome." He grabbed her throat and pushed her against a tree. The little fox demon was pushed out of her arms and dropped to the ground.  
  
Shippo looked up. He wasn't going to let Kagome be killed by the guy that she loved!  
  
"Fox-Fire!" All this attack did was to tick Inu-Yasha's body off. He swatted the demon away and left him unconsious.  
  
"Idiot fox." He turned around to look at Kagome then. "Sorry I am back."  
  
Tears fell from her eyes. She was scared, more scared than she had ever been  
  
Inu-Yasha's heart leaped. The body of the dog demon felt bad for a second. What was happening? He should be immune to feelings. He was a body. Not a mind. Feelings came from the mind. Wait. What about the feelings that came from the heart?  
  
Kagome! The mind Inu-Yasha thought (apparently that was all he could do at the moment :P) What am I doing? I can't hurt you! I can't! I won't let me! What can I do though? I have to do something! I have no control. I can't think like that! I have to break free! I just have to!  
  
The body's heart was nagging at him worse and worse by the second. He had to finish this fast. He squeezed tighter on Kagome's neck. The girl chocked and couphed. He loosed his grip. What was going on?  
  
The shadow looked over at Inu-Yasha. What was going on? He looked closer. The real Inu-Yasha was in his mind. He couldn't do anything. Or could he? The heart. If this boy really loved this girl. His heart would be tearing away at his body. Was that what was happening? Was the heart and the mind working together to overcome the body? If it was, oh, no. He would have overcome his worst fear. There would be nothing that he could to him.  
  
The body squeezed tighter on the troat of the girl. She was going to sufficate.  
  
Kagome! Inu-Yasha thought. KAGOME!  
  
Just then glass shattered. Both Inu-Yasha's worlds shook.  
  
The dog demon's body went limp and he fell to the ground. (The good.) Inu- Yasha opened his eyes. He looked to his right to see that Kagome had fallen to the ground next to him. His claws were shoved in the dirt. Without thinking he pulled the out. Hold it a second. He had fingers! He was back in his body!  
  
He stood up and looked around. He saw the shadow demon. The end of the demon was very close, it would be finished off by Inu-Yasha's claws and his alone. He owed it that much. First though, he checked over Kagome. She was unconsious, lack of air, but other than that, she seemed okay.  
  
Inu-Yasha lifted his trusty weapon and walked over to the shadow demon. He raised his sword. He started out in a jog and the sped it up to a run. He opened his mouth to yell. He stopped when he got within swinging range of the demon. He thrust the Fang straight through the middle of the demon. The demon just reattached itself.  
  
"You can't defete me like that!" The shadow cried at him.  
  
"I don't plan to. CLAWS OF STEAL!" He spotted the Shikon Shard and sliced through him straight for the Shard. The demon cried out and lost it's slime form as it turned back to a harmless shadow and the Shikon Shard floated in front of the half demon who ha conqired his fears.  
  
The shadow sulked away. It could no longer harm them. Inu-Yasha fell to his knees. He breathed deeply. It had been one crazy night. He had to got Kagome! He ran toward his fallen friend.  
  
Miroku looked at his hand in wonder. The tunnel had stopped growing. Actually it even started to shrink. It went back to its original size. He looked at his hand in wonder. He then looked up to Sango.  
  
Sango looked at Miroku. He didn't seem to be in pain anymore. She wiped her tears away from her face and walked down to Miroku.  
  
"Hey, Miroku, you doing okay?" She went down to him.  
  
"Yes, it seems it was just an illu-" He stopped as he felt her hug him tightly. She cried into shirt. He was shocked for a mimet and then he smile and hugged her back. (That's right, time to say, 'AWWWWW!' you know you want to!)  
  
"Hey Kagome! Wake up!" Shippo shook her, "Come on Kagome! Wake up!"  
  
"Don't bother." Inu-Yasha had snuck up behind him. "Let her sleep. She sure could probably use it."  
  
"You stay away from her!" Shippo cried. "Don't make me use my Fox- Fire on you!"  
  
"Feh! As if you could hurt me." Inu-Yasha told him. "I am the real Inu-Yasha."  
  
"Oh, how would I know that?"  
  
"If I wasn't, I just killed my 'master'."  
  
"Maybe you had a grudge."  
  
"Wha-!"  
  
"I need something better than that!"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Gimme your Shard."  
  
"What!? No way!"  
  
"Give it!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No!" He bonked Shippo on the head. "And that is final!"  
  
"Meanie!" Shippo yelled, but he's the real deal. Shippo thought.  
  
Inu-Yasha picked up the unconsious Kagome.  
  
"Hey! Where's your friend?" Shippo asked the dog-demon.  
  
Inu-Yasha looked around. He was right. There was no sign of Zero anywhere. He searched and searched. All of his senses open. His eyes searched everything, his ears twitched and his nosed flicked back and fourth. There wasn't even the scent of her anymore. He would have to ask her how she hid her scent next time they met up.  
  
He stopped looking. She had fallen right there, he looked at a small pool of blood. He didn't just imagine her. If she wanted to see him, she would come out. Until then, he would leave her alone.  
  
Zero held her side in pain. She just couldn't go any further. She sank down to her knees and stayed put. She would just have to hope that they wouldn't come through this way.  
  
She didn't want to get in the way. That is all she would have done if she stayed with him. He loved Kagome and there was nothing that she could do about it. It seemed best to stay out of the way. Just like Kikyo, but so different at the same time. Somehow she knew that she could trust Kagome not to hurt her Inu-Yasha.  
  
It was time for her to move on. She decided to leave her territory and go travel. She couldn't go far until she healed, though. Until then, she decided to take a nap.  
  
End of Chapter Six and Part One  
  
Liger003 ~ That's right. There's going to be a second part so don't go off saying that you read it all. That was just the beginning! And for you all of you out there are saying 'Aww! I was so ready for it to be finished!' Too bad! I am just having too much fun with this story! Maybe I will have some Fluffy scenes. . . 


	7. New Moon Reunion

Zero ~ Part two  
  
Chapter seven ~ New Moon Reunion  
  
  
  
The horse demon ran threw the forest. The wind rushed through it's mane. He jumped over the fallen trees and rocks that lay in his path. It kept running. It had ever felt this good before, it had never ran this fast before. The Shikon Shard was working it's magic.  
  
Suddenly a black blur flew in front of him. The black figure stood in front of him and didn't move. The horse demon had to skid to a stop. He stopped a few feet away from the figure.  
  
He couldn't see well, it was night and there was no moon. From the outline of it's body he could tell that it was a demon. It wore a long shall that covered it to just below the waist. Connected to the shall must have been a hood that covered it's eyes.  
  
"Heh, you have a shard of the Shikon, don't you?" The demon in front of him asked. He could tell by the voice that it was a woman.  
  
"Why would you care?" He asked defensively.  
  
"Because I am on a search for all of them."  
  
"You're planning to use them all, are you?"  
  
"No, I have no need or want for them. But my friend, on the other hand, would really like them." She looked up. The demon shivered as he looked at her eyes, they were glowing yellow. In all the darkness they were the only things that lit up the night. "Hand it over, or prepare to fight."  
  
"I will never give them to you." The horse demon commented bravely. He had the shard, not her. What did he have to be afraid of? Even though, he still felt afraid of this strange demon.  
  
"Heh, you are brave, but you don't have the power." She charged him, her hand was pulled out from underneath the shall. She had claws. They were fully outstretched and prepared to attack, "STEAL TIGER CLAWS!"  
  
She had located the shard within him, aimed and struck it. She watched as he burst into flames and the shard dropped to the ground at her feet. She smiled. He might have won, if only he wasn't so scared. He had psyched him out. It was the best thing to do with a shard holder. Scare them to where they can't think straight. When that happens they lose their fight before it has started. She smiled strategy.  
  
She bent down and picked up the shard. It was her third. Hopefully the others would come this easily. Most likely, they would not.  
  
Zero looked up to the sky. The moonless night let the stars show off their beauty. 'Oh, Inu-Yasha. It has been three months since I last saw you. I hope you're doing okay with Kagome. You better not blow it with her.'  
  
"Curse it!" Inu-Yasha cried. The demon had found out about his 'time of the month' and used it to his advantage. He was attacking them all head on. Inu-Yasha was helpless without his powers. He swung his trusty blade even though he knew that it would do no good since it would not transform. He still felt safer with it in his hands though.  
  
'Great!' Inu-Yasha thought. It was only Inu-Yasha, Kagome and Shippo against the demon. Miroku went into town and Sango followed him to make sure he didn't try to pull anything with the village women.  
  
The demon was a spider demon that seemed to like to throw its web at people and demons and eat them for dinner. It threw a web at Kagome who covered her face with her arms as the goo washed over her. Kagome couldn't see and started having trouble breathing through the web.  
  
The spider crept toward her with a hungry look on its face.  
  
"Kagome!" Shippo yelled, "FOX FIRE!" The attack did no damage to the web what so ever and then was pinned to a tree with web from the spider.  
  
Inu-Yasha ran forward and tried to attack the demon, but his human body was too slow and the spider had time to turn it's head and spit a web at Inu-Yasha, who was pinned to a tree right next to Shippo.  
  
"So glad you could join me." Shippo said sarcastically.  
  
Inu-Yasha gave him an evil eye and then turned to see what was happening to Kagome. The spider was rubbing to of its legs together in the 'dinner looks great' way and started toward Kagome.  
  
"KAGOME!" Inu-Yasha cried as he saw what was happening.  
  
Zero grabbed her ears in pain. That was Inu-Yasha! Why was he yelling so loud, and why was he so close? She could have sworn that they had no way of following her! Then she remembered, Kagome could detect shards. Had they been following her all this time?  
  
Never mind that! She had to go and help Inu-Yasha! She picked up her shall and lifted its hood over her head. May be they wouldn't recognize her. She leaped out of her tree and ran toward from where the yell had come from.  
  
Inu-Yasha watched in horror as the spider closed in on Kagome, who had stopped moving under the web. The spider was about to take a bit out of her when. . .  
  
"STEAL TIGER CLAWS!" A black blur flew from the forest and sliced the demon's leg off. Next she went for the web Kagome was in. Kagome fell out and caught her. Zero was sooo tempted to drop her, but that would make Inu- Yasha pretty mad, so she carefully set the unconscious girl on the ground.  
  
"Who are you?" Inu-Yasha asked Kagome's savior. She then went over to Shippo and sliced him free. Then came Inu-Yasha, who captured a glimpse of the face under the hood. "Zero?"  
  
Oh, well, he figured me out. Might as well answer him now. She pulled back her hood. "Stupid. I Thought that you'd be smart enough to stay out of fights when you are human."  
  
"Hey! It attacked us! Not the other way around!" Inu-Yasha defended.  
  
"Whatever." She turned around to face the demon. "You disgust me."  
  
"Huh? Why would it disgust you?" Shippo asked.  
  
"Because he is a giant spider! Bugs were never meant to get that big! That's just disgusting!" Zero told him.  
  
"Hey! I never knew that you were afraid of bugs!" Inu-Yasha joked.  
  
"I am not afraid of bugs!" Zero growled at him. She playfully hit him on the head.  
  
"Hey! I was just joking!"  
  
The spider, which was, at the moment, forgotten, stared toward Kagome. Inu-Yasha noticed this and started running toward her to try to get her out of the way of the legless spider worming its way to her, but Zero was faster. She grabbed Kagome and pulled her to safety. She then noticed that Inu-Yasha was down there facing the spider with the fang that wouldn't transform. She came back around to grab him and hit the shocked Inu-Yasha on the head again.  
  
"Stupid! You stupid HUMAN!" Zero yelled at him. "You have none of your powers! All you are is a weakling human! Don't go running to fight when you can't defend yourself!"  
  
"I could have taken it!" Inu-Yasha complained.  
  
"Yeah, whatever makes you feel better. You can take the gigantic spider on when you have you demon powers, so wait till then."  
  
"You are starting to sound like Kagome's mother!" Inu-Yasha yelled at her. Zero took a step back and turned bright red. Even in the moonless night you could see her blush.  
  
"Well, then if you don't want to listen to me, may be you should take the spider on yourself."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm waiting. You just defeat that spider over there, why don't cha?"  
  
"Fine." He took a fighting stance and waited for the leggless spider to attack him. He held the Tetsusaiga tight. The spider inched toward him. He grabbed the Tetsusaiga and charged. Suddenly he felt power flood through his veins. The Fang transformed and he held it close. His senses grew. He could smell and hear everything perfectly. He raised the Steal Fang and brought it down on the spider. In an instant the demon was destroyed and Inu-Yasha stood feeling the first warm rays of day.  
  
"No fair!" Zero cried.  
  
"Feh!" He then remembered the unconscious Kagome. He walked over to her and she woke up. "Hey you okay, Kagome?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, I think so." She sat up and rubbed her head. "Did you defeat it?"  
  
"Yeah, Zero helped."  
  
"Zero?" She sat up and looked around and saw the cat demon to her right. "Hey, Zero! How have you been?"  
  
"Just fine." Zero turned around and threw her three jewel shards to Inu-Yasha; he caught them with a shocked look on his face. "There you go. I am leaving now."  
  
"Wait you should stay!" Shippo cried.  
  
"No. I'd only get in the way."  
  
"Zero, you are welcome to stay with us for a while." Kagome told her.  
  
"Thanks, but I'd better get going. I have more shards to collect."  
  
"What? You're collecting the shards?" Shippo asked. "Then why are you giving them to us?"  
  
"It is an excuse to travel. I also have no need or want to use them." She grabbed her shall and threw it over her shoulders.  
  
"Zero. Stay for a while." Inu-Yasha told her quietly.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I said stay." Inu-Yasha told her.  
  
"Alright."  
  
End of chapter seven.  
  
Liger003 ~ Sorry it took so long to write and put it up. I started another stories, Angel?, and 'Huntress' and sorta left this one be for a while. Sorry! I know that this is also not the best chapter, but I really needed them to meet up again some how. Please review. 


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